Editorial Team

Jennifer Colwell

Jen is a Fellow at the Education Research Centre, University of Brighton, an educational consultant and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her research focuses on how practitioners support the development of children’s social competencies and how such competencies impact upon children’s learning and development. Her teaching centres on researching practice and supporting practitioners through their undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Jen has a PhD in Education (Early Years).

Helen Beaumont

Helen taught in primary schools in Hackney, Islington and Brighton for 14 years. She has been a local authority Early Years Consultant in Brighton and Hove since 2001, where she leads a team supporting private, voluntary and independent settings and early years classes in maintained schools. She has a Professional Doctorate in Education.

Helen Bradford

Helen taught in early years education before moving into teacher education at the Faculty of Education, Cambridge University in 2004. She is currently a member of the course management team for the Early Years and Primary PGCE where she co-coordinates the Professional Studies and English courses, with a focus on early years practice. Helen has published extensively in the area of language and communication development.

Julie Canavan

Julie trained as an early years teacher after working in a children’s home in Palestine. During 17 years of teaching in London and east Sussex her interest in bilingualism and commitment to equalities developed. Language and equalities were the focus of further Masters study and since working at Brighton University Julie has continued these interests through her teaching on under- and post-graduate courses and through doctoral level study.

Emma Cook

Emma is Deputy Manager at One World Nursery at the University of Brighton. She also works with students at the Research, Development and Training Base and Leadership Centre at Pen Green, which provides professional training and higher education courses for early years practitioners.

Denise Kingston

Denise is a qualified educational psychologist and trained teacher. She has worked for many different local authorities as a teacher, educational psychologist, portage supervisor, advisor, consultant and Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership senior manager. She also works with students who are preparing for and have achieved Early Years Professional Status and Early Years Teacher Status. Denise worked with the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education on the Index for Inclusion: developing play, learning and participation in early years and childcare, which has been well received both nationally and internationally.

Holly Linklater

Holly divides her time between teaching in a primary school and lecturing for the Faculty of Education, particularly the Early Years and Primary PGCE and MEd in Researching Practice. Her research focuses on developing ways to more fully articulate the complexity of pedagogy, or the ‘craft’ of teaching. She is also deeply committed to inclusive education and the role of the arts in education.

Sue Lynch

Sue is Senior Lecturer in Education Studies and Physical Education at the University of Brighton. Prior to that she worked as an advisory teacher for the Local Authority, taught in primary schools and managed a nursery that promoted daily motor skill and physical development for all children. She is an educational consultant, specialising in supporting early years practitioners in developing children's physical literacy.

Catriona McDonald

Catriona is a Senior Teaching Fellow in the School of Education at the University of Aberdeen. She supports students on MA (Hons), PGDE, BA Childhood Practice (BACP) undergraduate programmes and the Early Years Postgraduate Certificate in Education (EYPGCE). She is the Programme Director for BACP and EYPGCE. She trained as a Primary teacher in Edinburgh and then completed the Froebel certificate. She taught in Nursery classes in Scotland before going to Sweden with her husband where she lived for twenty years working in Primary and Secondary schools there teaching English and music.

Sheila Nutkins

Sheila is a Teaching Fellow in the School of Education at the University of Aberdeen. She supports students on MA (Hons), PGDE, BA Childhood Practice (BACP) undergraduate programmes and the Early Years Postgraduate Certificate in Education (EYPGCE). She taught in London as Deputy Head at St. Paul’s JMI in Primrose Hill, London NW1 and has lived and worked in Aberdeen since 1991. She taught in Further Education before joining the University in 2005 where she has developed course materials across programmes at all levels and particularly online materials for distance learners.

Sarah Ottewell

Sarah is Deputy Manager at One World Nursery at the University of Brighton. She is an Early Years Professional and has over 20 years’ experience working with children under the age of five years.

Chris Randall

Chris is an Early Years Professional working at One World Nursery at the University of Brighton. Chris is particularly interested in inclusion and in developing the role of men in ECEC.

Tim Waller

Tim is Professor of Child and Family Studies at Anglia Ruskin University. He has worked in higher education for over twenty years. Previously he taught in nursery, infant and primary schools in London and has also worked in the USA. His research interests include wellbeing, outdoor learning, pedagogy and social justice in early childhood. Tim is leading the ‘Young Children, Public Spaces and Democracy’ Project (BRIC) with colleagues from Italy and Sweden. BRIC involves preschool teachers, young children and parents in exploring democratic engagement in public and civic spaces.